Godlove Stein Orth facts for kids
Godlove Stein Orth (born April 22, 1817 – died December 16, 1882) was an important American politician. He served as a Representative for the state of Indiana in the U.S. Congress. He also held the position of acting-Lieutenant Governor of Indiana for a short time.
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Godlove Orth's Life and Career
Early Years and Education
Godlove Orth was born on April 22, 1817, near Lebanon, Pennsylvania. His family had German roots. He went to Pennsylvania College in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania for about a year. After that, he studied law and became a lawyer in 1839.
Starting in Politics
Orth began his political journey in 1840, giving speeches to support William Henry Harrison for president. He first joined the Whig Party. When that party ended, he looked for new political groups. For a while, he was a leader in Indiana for the Know-Nothings, also called the American Party. Later, he joined the Republican Party.
He served in the Indiana Senate from 1843 to 1849. In 1845, he was the acting-Lieutenant Governor of Indiana. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Indiana for several terms: 1863-1871, 1873-1875, and 1879-1882.
A Skilled Politician
Godlove Orth was known as a very skilled politician. He worked hard to stay connected with the people he represented. He kept lists of important party leaders and many other voters in his district. He would send them official documents and speeches to keep them informed. This helped him get re-elected many times.
In the late 1860s, he was a reliable leader for the House Republicans. He supported Reconstruction, which was about rebuilding the country after the Civil War. He also worked on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. In this role, he helped with plans for possibly adding Santo Domingo (now the Dominican Republic) to the United States.
Standing Up for Equality
Even though he had been part of the Know-Nothings earlier in his life, Godlove Orth later became a strong supporter of racial equality. Near the end of his life, he spoke out against the first Chinese Exclusion Act in 1882. This law was unfair because it stopped Chinese people from coming to the U.S. Orth said he would vote against it because he was against any laws based on "race, color, or previous condition of servitude." He believed such laws were wrong.
Later Life and Passing
After leaving the House of Representatives, Orth was appointed as the U.S. Ambassador to Austria. He resigned from this role in 1876 when he was nominated by the Republican party to run for governor of Indiana. However, he later withdrew his name from the race.
Godlove Orth was married twice and had a daughter and two sons.
He passed away in December 1882 in Lafayette, Indiana, while still in office. He is buried at Greenbush Cemetery in Lafayette.
